Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf Cost of Living Comparison Between Meilen and Dubendorf

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,456 in Meilen versus $3,753 in Dubendorf.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,967 in Meilen versus $5,651 in Dubendorf.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,477 in Meilen versus $7,550 in Dubendorf.

Living in Meilen costs roughly 8% less than in Dubendorf, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Meilen 153% above, Dubendorf 174% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.64 CHF 25.29

$31.16 CHF 25.72

-1.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 CHF 100

$125 CHF 103

-2.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.67 CHF 13.76

$16.58 CHF 13.68

0.54%

Cappuccino

$6.26 CHF 5.17

$6.11 CHF 5.04

2.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 CHF 4.58

$5.37 CHF 4.43

3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 CHF 4.16

$4.98 CHF 4.11

1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.43 CHF 6.96

$8.49 CHF 7.00

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.54 CHF 7.05

$6.70 CHF 5.53

27.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 CHF 1.84

$2.19 CHF 1.81

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 CHF 2.92

$3.88 CHF 3.21

-8.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.04 CHF 3.33

$4.74 CHF 3.91

-14.77%

Eggs

$7.97 CHF 6.57

$7.51 CHF 6.20

6.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.40 CHF 22.62

$33.30 CHF 27.49

-17.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.64 CHF 21.99

$26.10 CHF 21.54

2.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$41.75 CHF 34.46

$43.25 CHF 35.70

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 CHF 3.02

$3.46 CHF 2.85

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 CHF 1.71

$2.15 CHF 1.77

-3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 CHF 2.20

$3.28 CHF 2.71

-18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.86 CHF 4.01

$7.06 CHF 5.83

-31.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 CHF 1.73

$2.56 CHF 2.11

-17.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.23 CHF 1.84

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 CHF 1.96

$2.49 CHF 2.06

-4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 CHF 1.06

$1.44 CHF 1.19

-10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.10 CHF 9.16

$10.86 CHF 8.97

2.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.39 CHF 11.05

$13.46 CHF 11.11

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 CHF 1.82

$2.19 CHF 1.81

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 CHF 2.34

$2.82 CHF 2.33

0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 CHF 3.79

$2.43 CHF 2.01

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 CHF 84.2

$48.74 CHF 40.23

109.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 CHF 6.58

$5.48 CHF 4.52

45.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.74 CHF 3.91

$3.47 CHF 2.87

36.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$88.0 CHF 72.7

$61.8 CHF 51.0

42.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 CHF 1.81

$2.15 CHF 1.78

1.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$39.8K CHF 32.8K

$43.8K CHF 36.1K

-9.21%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.5K CHF 33.5K

$39.4K CHF 32.6K

2.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$240 CHF 198

$234 CHF 193

2.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$39.33 CHF 32.46

$31.19 CHF 25.74

26.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 CHF 54.5

$66.3 CHF 54.7

-0.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 CHF 76.4

$123 CHF 101

-24.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.24 CHF 38.17

$80.7 CHF 66.6

-42.69%

Cinema Ticket

$22.49 CHF 18.56

$24.11 CHF 19.90

-6.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,882 CHF 2,379

$1,809 CHF 1,493

59.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$44.1K CHF 36.4K

$33.1K CHF 27.4K

33.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 CHF 115

$142 CHF 117

-1.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 CHF 49.80

$90.2 CHF 74.5

-33.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$150 CHF 124

$147 CHF 121

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 CHF 143

$174 CHF 144

-0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,772 CHF 1,462

$1,833 CHF 1,513

-3.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 CHF 1,232

$1,842 CHF 1,520

-18.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,847 CHF 2,350

$2,926 CHF 2,415

-2.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,086 CHF 3,373

$2,822 CHF 2,329

44.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.1K CHF 13.3K

$12.1K CHF 10.0K

32.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.3K CHF 10.2K

$7,404 CHF 6,111

66.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,471 CHF 6,992

$3,873 CHF 3,197

118.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

2.48

-30.65%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Meilen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dubendorf: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,772 in Meilen and $1,833 in Dubendorf. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Meilen pays 119% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Meilen vs $125 in Dubendorf for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $591 vs $631 per month, with Meilen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Meilen vs Dubendorf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meilen and Dubendorf differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($3,456 vs $3,753 including rent). Meilen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 119% higher in Meilen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,772 in Meilen versus $1,833 in Dubendorf. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,456 per month in Meilen versus $3,753 in Dubendorf – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Meilen runs roughly 109% less than in Dubendorf. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Meilen is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Meilen and Dubendorf are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Meilen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Dubendorf. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.